Playing House
by neonquincy1217
Summary: "Being with you two makes me feel like I'm part of a family again. Can I call you my parents?" Aoko and Kaito become parents over summer break to a six-year-old boy they'll eventually grow attached to. Written for Poirot Cafe's 10k Competition 3: Lost and Found Prompt. Rated T for language and cos I'm paranoid. (Post Dark Knight heist fic. DARK KNIGHT HEIST SPOILERS)


**A/N:** Yeah, I know. I should be updating. But I couldn't resist! Stubborn prompt bunnies are stubborn. This was written for Poirot Cafe's third 10k Competition: Lost and Found prompt.

At first I thought, "Hey, why would Aoko and Kaito agree to the idea of taking care of a child who calls them his parents?" but then I thought, "Hey, they're both adorkably adorkable teenagers. I'm sure they'll play along. After all it's not just any kid, it's Kenta!"

Also, I'd like to think Aoko-chan is smarter than what people give her credit for.

 **Warning** : intro may be a bit dragging. Language warning in place. Post-Dark Knight heist. Also, medical and legal errors may be present. If there are, notify me please. Also, repetition. Also, childish teenagers xD Rated T because I'm paranoid.

* * *

 **Playing House**

"Being with you two makes me feel like I'm part of a family again. Can I call you my parents?" Aoko and Kaito become parents over summer break to a six-year-old boy they'll eventually grow attached to. Written for Poirot Cafe's 10k Competition 3: Lost and Found Prompt.

* * *

Following the tragic heist that took the life of one Interpol officer, Division Two of the Metropolitan Police's usually hype-filled office was replaced with a veil of gloom.

To the rest of the police, it was an open-ended case, an ill-fated accident, spoken in whispers so as to give respect to the man who gave his life up in service and protection of the common good.

To the task force, it was a fight-out between two thieves that took the life of he who was there simply at the wrong time.

But to those who were present, only one saw through the truth. This, he kept for himself until Jack Connery—an honorable man who died in the line of duty who was even given military honors during his funeral—was put to rest two days after. As per his will, which was found among his belongings, he was buried beside his Japanese wife's resting place. All valuables will be sold for money to be used for his son's operation.

Some find it odd for him to leave a will. Connery-san was a very capable, very energetic middle-aged man. For him to have written a will may look as if he was well prepared to give his life up anytime. And again, only one out of the thirty two people in the room knew why that was so.

Once Hakuba-tantei's deductions reached the ears of Nakamori-keibu and few other trusted people—about how Mister Connery was Nightmare and that Kaitou Kid was trying to save him—those present came to unanimously agree not to let anyone else know about this. The Moonlight Thief was deemed an unsung hero in this. To the rest of the world, the case of Nightmare shall forever be an unfinished one.

The next question was the fate of the now orphaned boy, Kenta Connery.

It seemed to be a scene from a nightmare, ironically, that night when Nightmare last appeared. Echoes of the boy's pained cries still haunt all those who are present that night Jack Connery breathed his last. Following the event, a distraught Nakamori-keibu drove away in silence. In the car together with him were his daughter, Aoko, London detective Hakuba Saguru, and the poor boy Kenta, who cried beside his father's lifeless form and was only taken away once he fell asleep in exhaustion. Hakuba was kind enough to escort them as they took the kid back to the Home. However, once they arrived, Aoko insisted to let the boy stay over with them for a night, afraid that if Kenta-kun wakes up he might break down again and there might be no one there to calm him down. In the end, Nakamori-keibu, with permission from the Home, agreed, that is, after he made Aoko promise she'll take responsibility afterwards. Contrary to what the girl expected, when morning broke and the kid woke up finding himself in the Nakamori residence, Kenta was nowhere near breaking down in tears—rather, he looked like he can't cry at all…

To Aoko, there was something hauntingly similar to the blonde kid's empty gaze. The dazed expression he had on mirrored Kaito's when his father died. He had it on during the wake and the funeral. Kenta-kun had it on up until the Nakamoris escorted him back to the Home that Sunday. He had it on even as the grown-ups—'Papa's allies'—handed over his mementos to the orphanage in his presence. He had it on even as they were saying their goodbyes to the orphaned kid… It was too much like Kaito's, _too_ filled with unspoken pain and sorrow, and it was exactly because of that, that the inspector's daughter never left Kenta's side until they had to let him go.

-*-.-*-.-*-.-*-

Nobody knew, but Kaito never stopped watching over Kenta-kun after that fateful Friday night. He feigned disinterest and turned down Aoko's offer to come along during the proceedings. Of course, this Aoko shrugged off with 'Kaito's sad and he feels for Kenta, so he probably doesn't want to go' excuse. He turned her down the same way he did the Inspector and Hakuba, but somehow he finds himself going anyway, just to check on the boy.

He was there in the wake, hiding on the ceiling. During the funeral, behind the lush leaves of a tree, and that night when Kenta was taken back to the orphanage, he watched until he fell asleep through a window three stories up.

Kaito thought it was his fault this boy lost his father, that's why he watched. For no other reason, he tells himself. It was definitely not because it was like he was looking through a reflection of his younger self. Nope, not one bit. But he watched on, always in the shadows where no one can see… Just in case his tears betray him.

He didn't know why but he kept coming back to the Home every day after school. It just suddenly looked inviting. He would stand there hidden most of the time until he sees blonde head, then disappear. That was until he realized how boring it was and decided to watch over while doing what he does best.

That was when he earned his self-proclaimed "Orphanage Entertainer" title.

Of course, Aoko eventually found out and invited herself in, in the guise of Kaito's unofficial assistant. Daily visits become weekly, no thanks to school work, but the kids love them just the same. Kenta was always among them, always—Kaito notes—on the far right side furthest the group, always near the sunflower-painted walls. And that was enough reminder of the whole point of the visits is: helping Kenta-kun get over his father's death.

About two months after, things seem to look up and up. Aoko would accompany Kaito to his weekly visits, bring snacks to the kids while Kaito does his magic and make sure Kenta stays happy. And he does,temporarily. Kenta seems to cheer up little by little.

Although, something _still_ bothers Kaito… Something that, he reckons, needs immediate action.

-*-.-*-.-*-.-*-

"So? How did the trip to the orphanage go?" asked the inspector one Saturday night right after that week's visit.

Both teens looked at each other, as if waiting for the other to speak first. In the end, it was Aoko who said with a nervous snicker, "He's doing all right. Right, Kaito?"

"Yeah," was the messy-haired boy mindless answer, poking at a piece of carrot. "At least he's become easier to deal with since the last time we saw him."

"It seems they're still having problems looking for someone to adopt him. He looked more American than Japanese," Ginzou paused to take a spoonful of curry before adding, "And if there's one thing I know about the adoption process it's one heckuva hassle."

"Poor kid, I wish they could get him a foster family soon," Aoko said.

"By the way things are going, not likely," said the boy beside her, and she watched him shove a carrot into his mouth. "Who would want a sick little kid?"

Aoko glowered at Kaito. "That's not very nice!"

"What I'm saying is he really should let the doctors treat him," said the magician in defense, as he now poked around a piece of potato.

It bothered Aoko, but she had to agree to the lad's statement. If Mister Connery was able to save enough for Kenta, he should have undergone surgery months ago.

"Not to mention, Kenta-kun's disinterest is not helping one bit," Kaito murmured off-handedly, moving his spoon in a circular motion across his plate.

With a brow raised in curiosity, the inspector paused and queried, "Disinterest?"

"He…" Aoko took a side glance at Kaito before saying, "doesn't want to get too close or too far from people."

"Except for you, maybe. The kid's gotten attached to you."

Aoko tilted her head to Kaito's direction. Ginzou, who was sitting opposite the other guy, paused to ask, "Hm? How can you tell?"

"He was clinging to her like… he doesn't want her to go."

The room went silent for a while. Aoko placed her silverware against her plate before she said miserably, "Lately he's been asking if he can come with us. I kind of feel sorry for the little guy."

And she thought back to her and Kaito's earlier conversation…

 _"It seems Kenta-kun's better now, and just before summer starts, too. Hooray Team Aoko!" said girl exultantly shouted, raising one hand for a high-five._

 _In return, however, her companion only gave her a stoic look and questioned, "You really think that?"_

 _The inspector's daughter puffed her cheeks before saying, "Geez, Kaito. He looked happy. He was having fun with the other kids. Your magic tricks work wonders. Didn't you see him?"_

 _"No I didn't," was his brief reply. Aoko's scowl grew even more distinct._

 _"I don't know if you weren't paying attention or you're just plain stupid," she remarked, hitting her companion by the arm with her bag._

 _"I observed, Aoko, like what Keibu told us to…" the magician uttered as-a-matter-of-factly, his features void of mischief. "He was smiling, playing with the other kids and he looked like he was having the best time of his life. But you wanna know what I think? That…"_

 _Kaito paused, his expression turning bitter. "That was the most painful expression I've ever seen in my life."_

 _In their decade-long friendship, rarely has Aoko seen Kaito make a pained expression. She can count them on her fingers. If there's something common to all of these it was never for himself—it was always for others, and he liked that side of him._

 _"Oh. I… didn't see," she whispered, ashamed she wasn't paying enough attention. "He… probably misses his dad doesn't he?"_

 _"Geez, you're making that ugly face again, Ahoko. How will Hakuba like you?"_

 _"What? Who are you calling ugly? And…" the lass noticeably turned cherry red. "What's Hakuba-kun got to do with this?"_

 _Kaito fake-scoffed at this and rolled her eyes. "Still denying it even though it's obvious? I saw the way you look at him. You're head over heels in love with that hebo-tantei who can't even catch Kid if his life depended on it."_

 _Aoko's face couldn't have been redder._

 _"BAKAITO!" she shouted, and their chase was on again._

 _"Heheh. Now there's the Aoko I know," Kaito shouted to the girl's direction, celebrating his so-called victory._

 _"Get back here!" his best friend bickered as she ran after him._

 _Darn, she can really count on Kaito anytime to ruin the mood._

-*-.-*-.-*-.-*-

"Dad…" Aoko began, placing a can of beer in front of her father and retreating back to her seat beside Kaito. "I was thinking…"

Without moment's hesitation, she breathed, "Do you think, maybe… we can have Kenta-kun over?"

The sound of the can opening accompanied Ginzou's shout.

"Hah?"

Picking up on what his best friend's plan is, Kaito chimed with the biggest grin on his face, "Oh, that's a good idea. Keibu, why don't we?"

Ginzou raised his brow. "What for?"

"He's got a lot of friends but it seems he still gets lonely sometimes," said the lass.

"And it's summer," the other teen added.

The middle-aged man gave his daughter a stern look. "It's a complicated matter, Aoko, Kaito. You both know that. There's the family registry thing, the adoption process, plus I dunno how it works in the orphanage. They have their set rules and regulations."

"It's just for the summer! Come on, dad. We're basically like his guardians now. There's no harm in trying. We can ask the Interpol and the Home if that's okay."

Ginzou sighed, loosening his tie as he did. Sometimes he can tolerate his daughter's stubbornness, but at times like this—when she involves people much more powerful than him—he just wishes she'd stop and give up.

"Geez, Aoko. This is a bit…"

Aoko tilted her head to the side and pulled her best puppy dog pout, one that she knows always works with her father. "Please?"

From beside her, Kaito, halfway through his glass of orange juice, practically snorted at this; said drink came out of his nose.

Both Nakamoris glared at him for about half a minute, but that didn't stop his laughing fits even as he went his way to the sink.

"I'll see what I can do," the inspector promised when Kaito finally settled down. "But I'm not promising anything, got that?"

Aoko practically leaped, skipped towards the inspector like a happy five-year-old and tackled the elder with a tight hug. "Oh dad, thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouuu!"

"If the Interpol or the orphanage says no, though, there'll be nothing I can do," the elder warned again.

-*-.-*-.-*-.-*-

Well, they tried, and failed. What a complete waste of a supposedly-perfect Sunday.

The drive home from the orphanage was a silent one, with neither the elder nor the younger Nakamori uttering a single word. Kaito, who occupied the backseat together with Aoko, entertained himself with humming to a song in his head as he looked out the window. For someone who's supposed to be downcast because "Operation Kenta-kun's Greatest Summer Ever" failed bigtime, the high school magician had his head stuck on some cloud like it's not even something he's concerned about. Geez, it was him who put this idea into her head and this is what happens. This lack of "violent reaction" from him irked Aoko to no end, but she thought it better to keep quiet. She's been upset as it is, and the last thing she needs is to get more upset over something as trivial as Kaito's mood.

"Well that… didn't turn out the way I expected" were the girl's words as soon as she stepped out of the car and into the porch, still feeling down and out. The disappointed expression on Kenta-kun's face still disturbs her.

"I did warn you it's not that easy," said the inspector for about the fifth time, shutting the car door after him before following suit of his daughter.

"But it's not like we're adopting. We're just having him over for summer break," Aoko argued. "It's not like we're gonna be mean to him or anything."

"Just visit him whenever you can. It won't make any difference," was Nakamori-keibu nonchalant reply.

"That,"Kaito, who is now standing by the car's trunk, suddenly spoke up, "or we could just ask him to come out now."

The father-daughter tandem turned to the magician in sync. They both had on a puzzled expression.

"Kaito?"

"D'you think it's about time you stop hiding in the backitty-back, Ke-n-ta-kun?" their neighbor sang, as he pounded on the trunk with a set beat, and it 'magically' opened on its own.

Both Nakamoris scurried to see what's inside, only to find bright blue eyes blinking back at them.

"Kenta-kun?!" Aoko shrieked in surprise.

"Aoko-neechan!"

Little Kenta jumped off the car and hugged the overjoyed high school girl.

"WHAT in the world are you doing here?!" Ginzou barked, causing the frightened grade schooler to hide behind Aoko. Said girl wrapped a protective arm around the child.

"Dad, you're scaring him!"

"The darn kid slipped away from the Home again! What if something bad happens?"

"DAD!"

The little boy's eyes are noticeably glistening now.

"But-but I just wanted to have fun with Aoko-neechan!" he screamed, and ran off to the streets.

"Kenta-kun—?"

"Ohh boy…" the spiky-haired boy commented and ran after the orphan, shouting "I'll get him," to where the father and daughter continued to argue.

-*-.-*-.-*-.-*-

Kaito caught up with 'the runaway' just as he was taking another one of his painkillers in a bench on a nearby park.

"What you did can get you in big trouble, don't you think so, you little rascal?"

"Kaito-niichan!" the startled little boy exclaimed, and almost stumbled on himself in the process.

"Look, Nakamori-keibu was just worried about you," the teenager explained.

"I just want to spend time with Aoko-neechan. I'm sorry."

"Although," Kaito grinned, kneeling in front of the boy, "I have to admit, that was impressive. If you didn't squeak like a dying mouse halfway through the drive I wouldn't even know you were in there."

Kenta's eyes went wide. "You know?"

"Yeah. Not that it matters," the older boy shrugged, then continued, "You know, I noticed you're fairly attached to her. I understand she's been real nice to you, but why Aoko?"

Kaito watched as the little boy blinked at him, blushed and looked away.

"Ooooh, I know that look. You _like_ her don't you?"

To the older boy's teasing, Kenta noticeably turned beet red.

"D-don't tell her! Please, Kaito-niichan," said he in panic, to which Kaito couldn't help but laugh.

"Haha, I knew it. Don't worry," he pats his chest a couple of times. "Your secret is safe with me."

Contrasting Kaito's jovial expression was Kenta's miserable mood.

"Aoko-neechan… She's been really nice to me even though I'm a stranger to her," he explained. "She helped me when Papa disappeared. If-if I tell Aoko-neechan I like her, she might hate me. I don't want her gone, too…"

"Aww, she won't do that. Aoko's got a pretty soft spot for children. I should know," the brunette said, hoping it would cheer the younger guy up. But it didn't. So Kaito thought it best to console him.

"Kenta… It's been pretty hard, hasn't it, losing your parents? Come on, you can tell me."

"I don't like it," Kenta muttered, soft enough that Kaito had to lean in closer. "Both Mama and Papa left me, and now…" a sniff, "and now I'm alone. But I don't want another family."

Perhaps, Kaito thought, this was what's bothering the child. He's lost so much that he's afraid if something new comes along, he'll lose them too.

"Is that why you were keeping your distance from everyone?"

"People always leave me. I'm always on my own," Kenta rubbed his now swollen eyes and continued, "That's why I don't want the bad horse to go away too."

"Whaaaat?" Kaito said animatedly in a high-pitched voice he always uses to make children feel better. For a moment there, upon the utterance of the words 'bad horse,' an image of an evil Hakuba-centaur doodle poking little carrot-shaped doodles popped into his head. That was until he mentally slapped himself and realized Kenta must be talking about his sickness. In the same high-pitched voice, Kaito queried, "But it's a bad horse. Why do you want it to stay?"

"Because it's all I've got left," a hiccup. "Even though it's painful I don't want it to go away."

"Kenta," Kaito started, but finding no words, he resorted to running his palm against the freckled boy's back.

"I always get in trouble, maybe that's why everybody leaves me. But-but Aoko-neechan is nice, and kind and loving," Kenta said between sobs. "She never gave up on me even if I want her to. I like her but if she disappeared too, what do I do?"

Kaito's brows furrowed in pity. "Oh, you poor thing…"

The little boy cried some more, and Kaito let him. As he settled beside the kid, he tells him, "You know… Kaito-niichan lost his Dad too… There were times that I remember him. I missed him so, _so much_ that I wanted to disappear. But you know what kept me going?"

Kaito paused, choosing the words that the kid will understand.

"I didn't want seeing other people sad. My mom, my friends... even Aoko-neechan."

For the first time since their conversation, Kenta lifted his head up.

"What I did is turn all that bad stuff," Kaito wiggles his fingers in front of Kenta, flipped the same hand a couple times over, until pop came a chibi horse bobblehead out of thin air, much to the little boy's amusement, "into something good. I worked long and hard every day with my magic and I managed to make everyone happy."

"That sounds nice," the blonde uttered, taking the toy from the older boy's hand.

"Right? One thing you have to know about Aoko is that she's stubbornly persistent. She never gives up on anybody, and that's what makes her a good person. Do you agree?"

Kaito placed one hand over Kenta's shoulder and added, "So instead of worrying about people disappearing, it's better to focus on making them happy. We're all gonna disappear one day. It just so happens that your Papa and Mama and Kaito-niichan's oyaji disappeared quickly."

"Do you think I can do it?" the younger boy asked as the last of his tears fade away.

"Sure you can," Kaito cheered. "Figure something out. You're still young. Live your life! Look on the bright side. Aoko-neechan's here, Nakamori-keibu's here, Kaito-niichan's here, the people at the Home are still here… and for as long as we're here, you can pick yourself up and eventually feel all right again. You got that?"

"I do like taking pictures," Kenta stated, blushing. "I like the snapping sound my Mama's old camera makes."

By camera, Kaito deduced, Kenta-kun was talking about the retro-looking instant camera hanging around his neck every time they visit. "Cool. Shall we take pictures when we get back? Aoko-neechan likes pictures. Sounds good?"

"Sure! I brought it with me because it makes me happy."

"Did I make you happy too?"

"Yes."

Kaito nodded a few good times. "Good. It's not going to be easy, but we're here for you. One day, you'll wake up with the biggest smile on your face, and everything's going to be all right, I promise."

"That means you won't even need the bad horse to keep you from feeling alone," gleamed the high schooler as he flicked the bobblehead on Kenta's palms so it nods its head 'yes'.

Little Kenta laughed upon the sight. Seeing the funny little trinket bounce its head makes him feel a lot better. He looked up to meet Kaito's gaze and said, "Thanks, Kaito-niichan," to which the magician grinned even more.

"Now let's go back," the older of the two called, getting up from his place on the bench. "Don't forget to say you're sorry. You made keibu sad and I'm not letting that go."

Little Kenta did as he was told once he and Kaito reached the Nakamori residence. Before they made any more rash decisions about what to do with the orphan, they unanimously agreed to let him stay the night. And like Kenta-kun planned to do, after a hearty dinner, he and his three companions snapped their night away with Kenta's camera. The kid's a natural! He's got an eye for beauty and fascination for things that people would usually deem unimportant. And as he watched him click away, Kaito noticed that, indeed, it makes Kenta-kun happy. In a way, he thought, that could very well be his very own Poker Face.

Of course, Kaito didn't pass up on the opportunity to spend time with the kid and insisted he slept over, taking his place on the couch… after one last snapshot of him, Kenta and Aoko.

-*-.-*-.-*-.-*-

Kaito was just about to lull himself to sleep in his sofa-bed, when a sudden presence alerted him. He sat up, only to find Kenta standing by his foot.

"Kenta-kun? Why are you still awake?" he asked, and motioned for the other kid to sit with him.

"Is the bad horse bothering you again?"

"No," said the grade schooler. "Keibu-jii snores so loud, we can hear it from the other room."

The messy-haired guy blinked at this. " _Keibu-jii?!_ "

"Yeah. Aoko-mama stuffed socks in his mouth so it won't be too loud," Kenta told him, stifling a giggle.

" _Aoko-mama?!_ " Kaito let out a playful chuckle, leaned forward and asked, "Are you playing with your words, kid?"

"No. Aoko-neechan said I can call her that. It's really nice of her, I really like it," said he, shrugging his shoulders repeatedly. "Also, Keibu-san said I can now stay for as long as I want."

"Why?"

"Because…" Kenta paused, playing with the hem of his shirt, a tinge of red on his freckled face. "It's been a while since I'm a part of a family. Having Aoko-neechan and Keibu-san agree to that idea makes me feel special."

Somewhere deep within Kaito there was a pang of pain from the little boy's words, and for about a hundredth time since the Dark Knight heist, memories of Jack Connery's final moments came crashing back to him.

"H-how old did you say you were, Kenta?"

"Six. I'm turning seven this year."

Six years old. That's even younger than when Kaito lost his father. No matter, the point is, he's too young to have lost so damn much—a mother, a father… a home.

And now, little by little, he's losing himself to a bad horse inside his head, and even though there are now a lot of chances to make it disappear, Kenta himself is refusing every single help he can get.

The older boy bit his lip. It was his fault Kenta-kun had to spend each and every waking hour keeping his distance, grieving over his father's early departure; that he had to feel oh, so alone… That he had no more place to call 'home' anymore.

If there's someone who can fix this, it's him. If there's someone who can persuade him to go through the surgery, to have a chance at a better life, it's got to be him and the Nakamoris.

And it was because he felt it was partly his fault this boy's life turned upside down that he motioned for him to come closer and pulled him into a tight hug.

"I'm sorry about your father, Kenta. I really am," he whispered as words of consolation to the blond. It was all he can do to not let tears fall freely from his eyes.

Kenta froze at the sudden contact. For a while, he felt like crying. He's heard those words far too many times and frankly, he's sick of it. But somehow, hearing those same words from Kaito felt… different. It was warm and sincere, and it made his broken heart ache, made the tiny pieces act up on its own—it made him _feel_ again, and it felt reassuring, in a way.

The six-year-old shut his eyes tight, curved his first _real_ smile in months and, to Kaito's surprise, slung both arms over the older boy's neck in a hug.

"It's all right," Kenta replied. His voice was soft, and oddly strained, like he was trying his best to make a sound. "A kind niichan taught me it's going to be okay."

And indeed, at that moment, in the ungodly hours of the night, Kenta felt like it really _will_ be okay.

Kenta's hug grew tighter, as did Kaito's, and the stinging in his cobalt eyes told him that if he shut his eyes more, clear liquid might start trailing down his cheeks. But he wouldn't let it, because Kaito-niichan said it's going to be all right, and he wanted to believe him.

Somehow, for the first time in months, he really felt like there's a reason to live again.

"Kaito-niichan?"

"Yes?"

Little Kenta dropped his voice another pitch lower and asked, "Can I call you my new Papa?"

"Hehe, I knew you were gonna ask that." Kaito tilted his head so he can look at the six-year-old and queried, "How about you call me 'Kaito-oyaji' instead?"

"Okay…" little Kenta nodded, then breathed, "Kaito-oyaji" against the older boy's shoulder.

"So… y'wanna sleep with your new dad?"

"I'd like that very much," said the boy, and Kaito can't help but smile over that strange, giddy feeling in his stomach. And just like that, for the first time in a long time, peaceful sleep took over Kenta's little body, no nightmares, no bad horses, no tearful recollection of the accident—it was just like magic.

It felt weird for the brunette, really…

Kenta ran away from the orphanage. They could be deemed kidnappers if anyone finds out and makes the wrong conclusion.

But right now, Kaito sees this as an opportunity to redeem himself, in a form of being a temporary parent. Until he decides to go back, or the orphanage comes to take him back, whichever comes first.

 _What's done is done,_ he thinks. Besides it's not like they're hurting the child. He sees nothing wrong, really. It's not like he's the first kid in the world to run away. And if anyone comes he can just blame them for their incompetence in watching over him.

Kaito smiled to himself. Yep. Tomorrow's going to be a better day.

That morning, Aoko woke up and, seeing no sign of either Kenta or Kaito, hastily got up to look for them, only to find both boys asleep on a makeshift bed in the living room.

-*-.-*-.-*-.-*-

"Kaito-kun, I didn't know you're really good with children…" were Nakamori-keibu's morning greeting. He bore witness to the 'mess' Kaito and Kenta left in his living room, and would have been roaring mad at them if Aoko didn't doodle on both boys' faces and took a picture with Kenta's camera.

Kaito chuckled through a piece of toast in his mouth while both of his hands worked on buttoning his shirt up. "What can I say, Keibu, children are the best audience a magician can ever ask for."

"Come on, Mr. Babysitter, we're running late," Aoko interjected and dragged Kaito out with him.

"Where are we going, Aoko-mama?"

"To school," the girl replied. "We're preparing for a festival that's going to be held before summer break ends. Aoko-mama's class is preparing a play. You're coming with us, right? I want to introduce you to everyone."

"Sure!"

"You sure about this, Aoko? If someone from the orphanage sees us—"

"I've got it all worked out. We'll just tell them we found him or something and then have Kenta-kun ask proper permission."

" _Riiiight._ "

-*-.-*-.-*-.-*-

A forming crowd, surrounding a head of light-colored hair caught Hakuba's attention as he turned the corridor to class.

 _Must be a new student,_ the detective thought, until the familiar face of a six-year-old came to view.

"Hm? Kenta Connery-kun?"

Said boy turned to his direction and exclaimed, "Oh! It's the detective-niichan!"

"What are you doing here?"

"I came here with Aoko-mama and Kaito-oyaji," Kenta replied in all smiles.

"Aoko-mama? Kaito-oyaji?" Hakuba repeated, and snickered upon hearing him say those words. Turning his attention to the not-couple behind the kid, the sleuth commented, "No one told me you two adopted a child."

Kaito faked a laugh and shrugged at this. "It's more like he adopted us, really," said he.

"I see," Hakuba replied before he crouched to Kenta's eye level and asked, "So, how have you been, Kenta-kun?"

"Fantastic! I'm staying over Keibu-jii's place this summer."

"He ran away, actually," mumbled Kaito, only to get an elbow to the ribs, courtesy of Aoko.

"Sounds like you're having fun playing house with the grown-ups," the detective commented, trying but failing to sound enthusiastic.

"Oh you can be part of our little family too, Hakuba-chaaaan," Kaito chided and locked arms with Hakuba, much to his chagrin. "Be Uncle Saguru for now, why don't you?"

The detective untangled himself from the other boy and raised a hand in a somewhat defensive stance. He then breathed out something which sounded like a cross between a chuckle and a scoff, before saying, "Hoh no, don't even think about it—"

"Come on, Haku-chan. Do it for the kid…" the magician encouraged as he linked arms with him again, a hint of 'I know you want to so just do it' evident in the statement.

Hakuba's gaze went from his classmate to the gleaming little boy, his features still and unreadable. He leaned in to Kaito's direction, close enough so only he can hear what he's going to say.

"Kuroba, I hope you're not doing this out of pity."

"Of course not," the jester whispered back. "Look, what he needs most right now is support, someone to convince him to go through with surgery. What better way to do that than to show him someone still cares for him? And since he doesn't have a family, I don't see why we can't make one."

"Uncle Saguru, what does your place look like?" Kenta asked suddenly.

"Uh…"

"I'd just go with it if I were you," Kaito whispered to the Brit. "At least until we convince him to, you know, quote-unquote, 'get rid of the bad horse,' nudge-nudge, wink-wink?"

Still unconvinced, but not having any choice anyway, Hakuba agreed. "All right. Kenta-kun, I live in a mansion down at the next district. You can come over and play anytime."

"Really? Wow, thank you, uncle!"

Kenta-kun raised a device over his face, clicked the shutter, and the next think Hakuba knew, he was already blinking little white circles off his vision.

Kaito found this highly amusing. Seeing the wide smile across the six-year-old's face, he couldn't help but smile as well. Far away from the crowd, the magician spotted Akako and called to her, "Akako-chan, you're welcome to join too if you like! You'll be Kenta-kun's Fairy Godmother."

"I'm flattered," she shouted from the crowd, made her way towards the center and gave Kenta a piece of candy. "Here, a little gift from me to you."

"Thanks. You're really pretty."

A series of high-pitched _Oh-ho-ho-ho's_ followed the six-year-old's statement. The next thing Kaito knew, he was unceremoniously pulled out of the little circle their classmates have formed by one very concerned (or is he _really?_ ) British detective.

"Oi, what gives?"

Hakuba leaned closer to hiss, "It's a cranial disorder, Kuroba. You know, inside the brain?" He pointed to his head to stress his argument. "The sooner you stop monkeying around playing substitute father, the better chances we can have him see how bad the situation is."

"I don't see why he can't have his share of fun," the magician retorted. "The kid just lost his father, Hakuba. Besides, no one knows his body better than he does. Can't you at least give him a little time to maybe get over the tragedy?"

"Sure, if we actually _have_ the time," the London detective stressed. "Unfortunately, we don't. I was told his situation's getting worse."

Somehow, this little confrontation ticked a nerve in Kaito. "So what do you want me to do? Force him into surgery like all the grown-ups wanted? That doesn't seem fair, don't you think?"

"What's _'fair'_ is to give him another shot at living. _Then_ you can have all the fun you want," the taller guy reasoned.

"It's not about you, Kuroba. It's about what Jack Connery would have wanted. At least, let's respect his wish."

"I'll get there," Kaito insisted. "For now, let him be a child, even just for a little while. Or do you not understand that?" he asked finally before making his way back to his 'son'.

The question drove a nail deep into Hakuba's chest. He's one person whose childhood nobody has to know, or even get a glimpse of.

"I guess not…"

-*-.-*-.-*-.-*-

"Hey, Kenta, can Kaito-oyaji ask you something?" said Kaito out of the blue that one day when Kenta asked him to search the room for his favorite photo that somehow got lost inside Kaito's house.

"What do you say about… getting the bad horse out of your head?" the brunette queried, hoping of all hopes he can successfully convince the kid.

All throughout the week, the detective's words haunted him. Hakuba could be a real villain if he wants to, Kaito thought. But this time he _does_ have a point. There has to be someone to convince Kenta to go with the doctors.

"Is it scary?" Kenta asked back, curiosity in his blue eyes.

"Of course not," Kaito assured him. "And we'll be right there with you. Me, Aoko-mama, Keibu-jii, Saguru-no-ojisan…"

Kenta frowned. "But if the bad horse leaves…"

"If the bad horse leaves," the older boy interrupted, "it's gonna be a good thing! We can do lots more stuff! We can go to the beach, eat ice cream, go to Tropical Land, eat more ice cream. Maybe I can even teach you magic, or… or take you flying. Kaito-oyaji knows where we can meet flying people."

"Really?" the child gleamed.

"I will, I promise. Besides, it's what your Papa would have wanted," was Kaito's remark, and he watched as Kenta's face turned somber upon the thought.

"Papa…" he sighed, and Kaito, not able to do much anyway, ruffled the boy's head in an effort to console him.

"So… will you do it?" the older guy asked yet again.

Kaito barely had enough time to react when Kenta pounced on him and wrapped his arms around his torso.

"You'll be there, right?" was Kenta's muffled question, to which, Kaito hugged back and replied, "Yes. And if the bad horse tries to harm you again I'll pour glitter on him, tie him to a tree and throw a piñata party."

Kenta looked up at the brunette with a mischievous grin.

"I'd like that."

-*-.-*-.-*-.-*-

Within the next few days, Kaito-oyaji, Aoko-mama and Little Kenta did what they said they would. They took pictures, took him out on trips around town and ate ice cream. A few times, they bumped into Saguru-no-ojisan (much to Kaito's annoyance), who will then ask the child questions like "Isn't it about time you go back to the Home now?" to which Kenta would answer in the negative.

There was no need to mention, Kenta-kun was actually having a good time. He would have gone back otherwise.

While it was fun being with the children in the Home, it felt wonderful spending every day playing house with Kaito-oyaji and Aoko-mama, he tells them one time. And indeed, it would have been all fun and joy if the bad horse didn't kick in every so often. Kaito and Aoko would exchange worried glances as they assist the little guy into taking pain killers. Once he sees the worried look on his _parents_ ' faces, Kenta shrugged it off saying the bad horse always gets jumpier in the summer, before getting back to taking some more pictures.

From that day onwards, Kaito kept a tally of how many times Kenta takes painkillers in a day… thrice, four times, five times. It bothered him. Of course, this, they immediately brought to keibu's attention, and when the middle-aged man offered to take him to a hospital, Kenta would say "There's no need for it. The bad horse is just jumpier than usual…" much to the grown-up's concern.

It went on that way…

Until the thing he feared came to be.

 _"Kaito! It's terrible!"_ came Aoko's panicked voice over the receiver. He was on the way back from a little recon and left Kenta with Aoko and Hakuba. _"Kenta-kun—Hakuba-kun and I, we're at the hospital. Please come quick!"_

"What?!"

The moment he spotted his classmates and the inspector, Kaito immediately questioned them.

"What happened?"

"I don't know," a crying Aoko told him "He just suddenly screamed and dropped unconscious!"

"And? How is he?"

"We're awaiting results from the scans," Nakamori-keibu stated. "Depending on the result, he…"

"Is it… bad?"

"He was supposed to have the surgery as soon as possible. The thing is he let it drag for too long."

Hearing the blonde's comment, Kaito turned away from the door and charged to where the detective stood until their faces are mere inches apart.

"It's not his fault, Hakuba," the magician hissed, every single feature screaming disdain towards his classmate. "The kid's gone through enough hell as it is. Do you expect him to just blindly follow what the grown-ups tell him to do?!"

Seeing the magician going hostile, Ginzou thought it best to come in between the two boys before things get out of hand.

"Kaito! Hakuba-kun! Stop it, you two!" Aoko screamed from the sidelines. "This is not the time to argue!"

Whispers turned to grunts when Kaito lunged forward and asked, " ** _Why_** should you even be concerned?"

"Kaito-kun!" the inspector reprimanded, taking a firm hold of said guy's torso to keep him from physically hurting the taller guy.

"Do you think Connery-san would have liked this, to see his child in a life-or-death situation just because the surgery got delayed for too long? Do you think he did what he did, partner up with the kind of people he despised, go around sniffing out any or all ways he can think of and get as far as he did, just for Kenta-kun to end up not being able to make it in time anyway?"

A puzzled expression plastered Aoko's face. This contrasted the shock in Kaito's. The London detective shook his head frantically before he turned his back on either of his companions.

"Hakuba-kun?" she queried, her voice almost a whisper. Both of her arms fell limply on either side of her.

The brunette narrowed his eyes at the blonde, before his eyes traveled from Hakuba to the older guy and confirmed his suspicion.

They know, and he didn't want to give himself away by reacting like he knows too, so Kaito pursed his lips to keep himself from talking. Behind him, Aoko couldn't have been even more confused. She would have asked what it meant if Hakuba didn't speak first.

"His old man did the best he could. I'm not necessarily for it but I'm not condemning it either."

Pointing a finger towards the emergency room, the blonde stressed, "Now if only he knew what his father wanted for him he'd—"

"He _does_ , Hakuba!" the magician interrupted, and with a judgmental glare he added, "Do you?!"

Kaito's brows furrowed. Jack Connery wanted Kenta to have a shot at a normal life, to have a better childhood. And during the moments Kenta-kun was with them, that was what Kaito tried to provide…

Only, it turns out it wasn't enough.

And for a moment, Kaito really did wonder if the detective knows that.

The sudden swinging of the emergency room door cut Kaito's thoughts off, and out went one of the doctors. The three teenagers and Nakamori-keibu circled around the man, waiting for good news to reach their ears.

"Sensei, how is he?" asked the oldest guy.

The doctor gave each of them a pensive look, "Which one of you is the child's relative?"

From behind the inspector, Kaito, Aoko and Hakuba glanced at each other. Kenta's condition concerned them to the point when rules about confidentiality and such completely slipped their minds. For a moment, Kaito was tempted to say "I am his father," but thought otherwise. After all, who would believe him? He's a high school student, after all; he can't be a father of a six-year-old.

"He's an orphan," Ginzou finally stated after taking a couple of deep breaths. "But he's been under my stead for the past two weeks. We're his guardians…temporarily."

And just because he's unsure whether or not that was enough, he added, "Can you just tell us so we can relay the information to the Home?"

The bespectacled man gazed the inspector long enough to make a decision, before he ruffled through the papers in his hand and finally said, "Very well. We've got the results from the scans."

"And?"

"What happened to him?"

The man in white cleared his throat. "I'm afraid… the damaged nerve got worse and affected other parts of his brain. We'll have to perform surgery right away before anything else happens."

For a moment, they all went still, before Kaito went deathly pale. Aoko buried her face in her palms. Hakuba placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. The inspector clenched his fists upon the information and excused himself to talk to the orphanage.

The magician felt a lump in his throat, and when he spoke, his voice trembled.

"Please. Don't let him die, sensei," he whispered, almost pleadingly.

The doctor gave Kaito a reassuring smile.

"We'll do what we can," he said, turned and disappeared behind white doors.

Silence ensued in the corridor, broken only by the sobs emitting from the inspector's daughter.

"Kaito, I'm worried. What if something bad happens to him?" Aoko whimpered, a trembling hand tugging on her best friend's shirt.

Without making any sort of movement, the lad replied, his voice oddly monotonous, "Kenta's going to be all right. He's a strong kid."

And _gods,_ he wanted to believe! Inside his head, Kenta's voice echoed over and over, and he didn't like how it sounded so distant…

 _It's all right. A kind niichan taught me it's going to be okay._

"He'll make it," said Kaito, and after a couple of breaths added, "He has to."

Only, that voice just now did not sound like him _at all_.

He stood there dazed, until a firm hand on his shoulder brought him back to reality.

"They're here," Nakamori-keibu said. "I'll take you and Aoko home."

Turning to the high school detective, he asked, "And you?"

"I'll be fine," Hakuba replied, his tone all too different from usual. "But thank you for the offer."

As Kaito passed, he muttered so that only the detective can hear, "Don't blame this on the kid, Hakuba. Unlike the two of us, he doesn't know. It's best he never does."

"Then I'll blame you instead," the blonde whispered back. And Kaito hated it. After all, Hakuba was right. He always was…

"Yeah. Go do that," Kaito said dryly before he followed suit of Ginzou and Aoko.

All throughout the ride back, Kaito was at war with himself. Ghosts of both the present and his younger self came back to him in succession…

 _It wasn't my fault!_

 _(He was doing all right!)_

 _He was sure, I was sure. ._

 _(I believed in Dad!)_

 _Kenta-kun believed in me!_

 _(I can't believe he just…)_

 _He didn't know._

 _(IT'S NOT HIS FAULT!)_

 _IT'S NOT MY FAULT!_ he screamed in his head.

In the end, he can't find himself to believe it's not. Because even if it was Aoko who insisted Kenta stays with them, the whole point of the kid staying over (which Hakuba ever so kindly pointed out countless times) was to persuade him to go ahead with the surgery, and it was _his job_ to make sure he does.

He didn't.

Yet again, he miscalculated. _Very_ much like that Nightmare of a night that still haunts him up to this day.

A tight squeeze on his hand brought Kaito out of his inner battle. That's when he realized he was actually trembling all over. He looked up to find Aoko looking at him, glistening sapphire eyes contrasting the smile she tried so hard to make.

 _It's okay,_ her expression tells him. _You said he will be. I believe you._

Slowly, Kaito curved a smile. Amazing how she can do just about everything to him—even make him feel better—with just a single touch.

"Thank you," he mouthed, and pulled away. Because the least likely thing he wants right now is for her to see him break… And damn, he's almost at breaking point.

He said his goodbyes, walked to the front door and into the house, shutting the door behind him with as little sound as possible. Then when the sound of the car was gone, he broke to a run.

Finally he can be alone with his monsters.

 _Screw Poker Face!_ The voice in his head was saying. _I can't even save a single kid!_

He stumbled up the stairs and into his room.

 _I only want him to be happy!_ _That was all I wanted. That was_ _ **all**_ _I gave him._

And in front of his father's portrait, he stops abruptly, finding time to catch his breath.

 _Why?_

It was then that it dawned on him… Kenta was too innocent, too broken, too helpless, much like how he was. He was not trying to save Kenta; he was trying to save _himself_ from nightmares long forgotten, and he hated it.

Shivering lips opened to form broken words.

"Oyaji…" he said, dropping to his knees.

"Help me."

And for the first time since his father's death, Kuroba Kaito truly broke down in tears. And screamed.

For the rest of the day, and the days following that, Kaito only stared at the picture on his wall, praying for the blonde kid's well-being, begging his father's photograph over and over _and over_ , that his efforts won't be for naught.

He never returned to the hospital, even if it meant breaking yet another promise to Kenta. Neither did he entertain any news about him.

Because if it turns out the boy didn't make it, he's afraid he might really lose it this time.

-*-.-*-.-*-.-*-

A week past, and another, during which time, Kaito managed to lock himself up in solitary confinement, out and away from anything which might have something to do with Ken—the Connery kid. He pulled off a heist or two for distraction and kept Hakuba-no-yarou busy solving his mind games twenty-four-seven. It worked somehow. In fact it worked very well that he often forgets he hasn't eaten yet. At all. For hours. Maybe even days. He wasn't sure anymore.

Lucky for him, there's always Aoko to make sure he doesn't starve to death. Even better, she stayed close, yet respected his space.

Countless times, said girl comes over to check on him, using food as an excuse to barge into his house unannounced, to make sure Kaito eats every single grain of rice on the plate—even spoon-feed him if she had to. Countless times, too, she would cleverly string together words about Ken—the Connery kid's status. Other times, she would tell Kaito Chikage-san is worried about him, that she wants to hear from him soon. This, and all other underhanded comments about "The Face" he so carefully wants to hide, he avoided as long as he could.

That was until a sudden urge to call his mother hit him, and he propped his laptop open, only to find a photograph stuck on it. It was the same photograph Kenta-kun was looking for—the very first picture of their little family.

And he sunk to his seat as everything came back to him in a flash.

"Hm? Hey, that's the picture we took. Kenta-kun was looking for that," someone suddenly said from behind him, and judging by the odd angles the strands of hair spike up, he recognized it as Aoko.

"Yeah," Kaito replied dryly, indigo eyes still glued to the blonde child's angelic smile.

"This was the happiest I've ever seen him," he continued, and Aoko nodded in agreement.

"You know," the girl uttered, taking the photograph from Kaito, "Kenta-kun told me this was his favorite picture of the three of us."

"I don't blame him," the magician uttered. It really was the best picture among the ones they took.

Deep within the abyss of his muddled mind, the most annoying voice he's ever heard echoed as he said those words, loud enough to forget he was smiling. _"Then I'll blame you instead."_

Kaito shrugged it off, focusing instead on the dimming late-afternoon sky. Damn, he can really count on that bastard to ruin his mood every time.

"Hm? Kaito," the girl stated, "something's written at the back."

The messy-haired magician scrambled to his feet to take a look.

"Oh, he's such a sweet kid," the girl swooned, biting her lips in a vain attempt to keep herself from crying.

Leaning towards Aoko, Kaito peered over and saw black-colored scribbles only a kid could have made.

Aoko handed the picture to her best friend, who plucked it off her fingers and read:

 _Aoko-neechan, Kaito-niichan,_

 _Being with you two makes me feel like I'm part of a family again! Thank you for never giving up on me and for giving me courage to live on._

 _Love,_

 _Kenta Connery_

 _Also, I can't wait to go flying, Kaito-niichan!_

"That kid…" Kaito choked on a sob. "He left as quickly as he arrived."

"It seems you've grown attached to him," Aoko teased with a giggle.

"I was gonna treat him for Tropical Land ice cream!" the boy sobbed. "We were supposed to have the best summer ever!"

"I miss him already…" Kaito continued, and for a while Aoko just wanted to give him a comforting friendly hug.

"Aww, Kaito…"

"He didn't even taste half your nasty dishes," he further stated.

The girl's sympathetic look turned to a frown at this, and she grumbled in a threatening voice, "Hey…"

"I envy him."

"OI BAKAITO!" Aoko shouted, not much because he's completely ignoring her, but rather for insulting her cooking.

"What? Can't you see I'm having a moment here?" the magician sniveled and ran an arm over his moist eyes—wait, was he crying just now?! Did he really get too attached to the boy that the slightest memories of him make him emotional? Or was it the thought of never being able to fulfill his promise to Kenta that made him tear up?

From beside him, Aoko snorted, obviously bemused, and nudged Kaito by the shoulder.

"You little dork!"

"I can't see how you can take this so lightly," Kaito stated, appalled.

"You know we can just visit him again, right?"

"Huh?"

The messy-haired girl rolled her eyes at the stupid face her best friend is making.

"Geez, Kaito!" she growled. "This is why we were telling you to go with us. Kenta-kun's still in the hospital."

It took a full two minutes for the magician to digest this before he found his voice again.

"He made it? He's still alive?!" Kaito squeaked. To this, Aoko let out an exasperated groan.

"For the hundredth time," she took a deep breath before exhaling, "Yesssssss."

"He's alive," Kaito repeated. He then stared Aoko in the eye and exclaimed, "He's alive!"

"He's in intensive care ever since the surgery," she informed him. Obviously he was away in Who-Knows-What-World for the past few weeks to be able to get surprised at this. She decided to use this opportunity to convince him to drop by.

"He hasn't woken up yet. You should go visit him," Aoko was saying, but her best friend was nowhere near listening.

"We didn't get to do a lot of stuff because that Hakuba-no-yarou was against everything!"

"Are you listening, Kaito?"

"You know, someone should _really_ tie him up. He's a bad horse!" the magician whined amidst Aoko's bickering.

"Kaito!" Aoko screamed.

"What?" the brunette barked. Was there something she was telling him? Because he really can't tell. Aoko threw Kaito a stern look and sighed.

"Go see him, at least once," was what she told him in the most persuasive tone she can, before she ruffled his hair like he was a pre-school kid and walked to the door.

"Dinner's ready," she called out. "Come downstairs when you're ready."

Kaito remained still until the sound of Aoko's footsteps diminished. When it did, he looked at the photograph in his hands, then at Kuroba Toichi's portrait.

It's about time he pulls himself together, he decided. It's about time he keeps his words.

-*-.-*-.-*-.-*-

That same night, Kaito snuck out of the house for a late-night 'heist'… to the intensive care unit which held Kenta Connery's unconscious form.

Finding out where he is was easy. Sneaking in undetected was more complex than he thought. In the end, he opted to use his 'god-given charms' to convince the nurse-on-duty to let him in, and keep his visit a secret.

He enters without a sound, dark eyes glued to the unmoving figure lying in the middle of the room. All around him, equipment of different shapes and sizes stood by. No light, except from the nurse's station outside. No sound, except for the steady beeping sound of a heart monitor.

Kenta looked frail, Kaito noted, thinner than he last saw. And the various tubes connected to his small body makes Kaito feel sorry for him. For a moment, Kaito wondered how it feels like to have one's skull cut open, or how a six-year-old kid can breathe through an oxygen mask, and he cursed himself for not dropping by sooner.

Finding a chair on the far left side of the room, Kaito moved to position himself by Kenta's sleeping form. He looked so peaceful, his chest heaving up and down, breath fogging up the mask and disappearing. And for another minute he had to let it sink in…

Kenta's alive.

He stroke the boy's flaxen mane, shining in the moonlight from the half-open curtains. He's still in there. He can talk to him and draw him out.

"Kenta, it's me. Kaito…" he hesitated for a moment, and then continued, "-oyaji."

"Sorry if it took me so long. But I'm here now. Like I promised," he threw a sheepish smile.

"I… I found the picture," he stuttered, and with a few flicks of his fingers, out came the said photograph. Kaito held it out, as if Kenta can see, and told him, "Turns out it wasn't lost after all."

"And I read your message," said the high school brunette, flipping the photograph over. "Heh, you wanted me to find it, didn't you, you little rascal?"

Kaito chuckled, and once again, only the beeping sound of the machine answered him.

The smile he had on curved downward. It's hard talking to someone who can't answer back. But Kenta's still alive. Kaito knows he's still listening, and if he talks to him a little longer, he believes the boy will be able to answer… somehow.

A shaking hand reached out to hold the unconscious boy's. Kaito gave it a squeeze or two before he continued.

"Kenta, you'll be all right. Right? You're a brave kid. You're special."

 _A kind niichan taught me it's going to be okay,_ Kenta's voice once again echoed in his head, and Kaito found himself trying to keep his tears at bay for a little longer.

"Please be all right," he prayed through quivering sounds his throat is making. "You said you'll grow up to be like your Papa right?"

And when he still didn't get any reply, he lightly shook the boy's limp hand.

"Kenta…"

Kaito bit his lip. There is just _no fucking way_ he'll let this boy's life stop short here. He's a brave boy; he's still fighting, and Kaito refuses to back down too.

"Think of your Papa, Kenta. Think of yourself, of all of us…" he choked, and before he knew it, his tears have already betrayed him. "We're all waiting for you. Aoko-mama, Keibu-jii, Saguru-no-ojisan. I'm here like I said I would be."

Kaito's free hand went up again to stroke stray hair away from Kenta's eyes.

"We're still family, right?" the magician whispered, before a sob escaped his lips. He bent over, just enough for their foreheads to touch.

"Please wake up…"

Both hands now clenched tightly on the blonde boy's right hand. "Is that too much to ask? I mean, you've had a lot of bad times. You must be tired. Why would you want to return?"

"I'm being selfish, I know," a sniff. Somehow Kaito's lost all will to keep himself from crying. "But I just want you to have lots more good memories, Kenta."

"We're supposed to meet flying people, eat ice cream, have the best summer ever! I was gonna have Aoko prepare a surprise party!"

 _It's all right._

He's hearing it again, in between his pauses… Kenta's voice, fluttering from a distance, and if he could just reach out for it, maybe he can pull him back, somehow.

"You're supposed to be all right again," he weeped, and to Kaito, it seemed as if he reverted back to being the eight-year-old boy who just lost his father.

 _I don't want other people to leave me too._

"I was too afraid that I can't save you too. But I'm here now. I'm still afraid, but I'm not gonna leave, not anymore" the older boy explained before he finally lost all coherent thought.

"But… Just… Please stay."

 _A kind niichan taught me it's going to be okay._

"Kenta…"

Kaito repeated his name like a chant, a solemn prayer… some sort of whispered wish, an unextinguished hope. It was ridiculous, yet it helped somehow.

He didn't know how long it was, but he must've fallen asleep. The moment he swung his eyes open, light is already peeping in between white-washed curtains.

He didn't know if it was a dream, or maybe a product of his imagination, but Kaito vaguely remembered a smile, very much like his, a hand, smaller than his own, squeezing against his palm, and one single word spoken very slowly.

Three syllables which held a very special meaning…

 _O._

 _Ya._

 _Ji_.

* * *

 **END**

* * *

 **A/N:** Uh, yeah. I'll... leave this here. I... do not know anymore. And I'll leave it to you guys whether or not Kenta stays alive.

I did mention I lost two loved ones in a span of six months, right? Yeah?

One of them was my older sister. Last July. She came down with a flu. I dunno what exactly happened but I was told she screamed and dropped unconscious (much like Kenta did, except no foaming in the mouth occurred here). Turns out it was aneurysm. Within 24 hours we lost her. It was traumatizing. I was planning to give Kenta that same complication but thought it best not to because he's six... and I want him to live! XD

So, yeah. I just thought what I would have done if I was there during her last moments... and, tada! Word vomit.

Anyways, I _promise_ I'm working on my ongoing fics. I really am. In the meantime, I hope you enjoyed this one. We love Kenta! XD

Also, like I said, medical and legal stuff may be incorrect. If there are, please notify me. (As far as research goes, I know Japan has a very complicated process for adoption, and cranial disorders are in the brain xD)

Oh, and yeah. In real life, one can't simply come into the ICU...

Comments, reviews, constructive criticisms are LOOOOOVED!

Stay awesome, lovelies!~

 **Love lots,**

 **-neonquincy1217**


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